$2.5 million in state funding awarded to two projects

CHELTENHAM » State Rep. Napoleon Nelson, D-Montgomery, announced two Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grants worth $2.5 million have been secured for Beth Sholom Synagogue and Salus University.

“The money will be used to help preserve an iconic landmark, the Beth Sholom Synagogue. It will also allow Salus University to modernize and better serve its students,” Nelson said in a press release announcing the grant.

Two million dollars was awarded to the Beth Sholom Synagogue Preservation Foundation in Cheltenham Township. The funding will be used to repair and restore the synagogue’s dome. The building was designed by the great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright and is a National Historic Landmark. Special attention will be paid to both exterior and interior elements, including the landscaping, the release stated.

“As a National Historic Landmark, I am pleased to see the commonwealth invest this funding into our synagogue,” said Herb Sachs, immediate past president of the Beth Sholom Synagogue Preservation Foundation. “Our goal is to ensure the synagogue can still be used as a place of worship and future generations can continue to appreciate the architectural designs of Frank Lloyd Wright. We are grateful to Representative Nelson and all who helped secure these funds.”

The Beth Sholom Synagogue Preservation Foundation is a non-sectarian, not-for-profit organization that was created to preserve the Beth Sholom Synagogue, the only synagogue designed by Wright.

An additional $500,000 in RACP funding was awarded to

Salus University. The university will use the funds to update student service spaces, including the serving and dining areas, student lounges, student affairs offices, the bookstore, and shipping and receiving, the release stated.

Salus University is located in Elkins Park. Since 1919, it has been educating professional in the health sciences and rehabilitation.

The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program is administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects.